STARDOM’s Giulia is set to leave the promotion very soon, but there could be a pit stop on her road to WWE.
In November 2023, it was reported that WWE had “massive” interest in signing Giulia, who is the reigning NJPW Strong Women’s Champion. One source said that Giulia was expected to be at the WWE Performance Center that month, though that ultimately fell through.
Giulia is Leaving
Giulia may not have attended the WWE PC in Florida last November, but all signs are pointing toward an exit from New Japan. reports that Giulia informed STARDOM at the end of 2023 that she planned on leaving the company. Her deal with the promotions expires next month.
Giulia’s impending exit from STARDOM has raised questions regarding her ongoing reign as NJPW Strong Women’s Champion. Giulia’s reign began after dethroning Willow Nightingale in July of last year. While it had been hoped she’d lose the title at New Japan’s Windy City Riot event this April, her exit from STARDOM in March has indicated that she’ll need to lose the gold before Windy City Riot.
The wrestling world was out in force for the premiere of Dune: Part Two which stars none other than WWE’s animal Dave Batista.
Dune: Part Two is the sequel to 2021’s Dune. Both films are based on the 1965 novel of the same name from Frank Herbert’s Dune franchise. The films tell the story of Paul Atreides, whose noble family is thrust into war for ‘Spice’ the key to interstellar travel that can be found only on the dangerous sand planet Arrakis.
WWE & AEW at Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two sees Batista return as the villainous Glossue Rabban, a psychotic warrior and nephew of primary antagonist Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. On Twitter, Titus O’Neil, a close friend of the Animal, shared a photo from the premiere in New York alongside Batista and MVP.
Had a great time at the @dunemovie premiere in New York. Super proud of my brother @davebautista and the entire Dune cast on a Spectacular Performance all around. Looking forward to more of what’s to come ?? @davebautista THANK YOU, LOVE YOU TO THE MOON!!! #DreamChaser indeed ? pic.twitter.com/UYFfcF6yIH
The two Dune films are just some of the massive blockbuster projects that Dave Batista has been attached to. After a series of roles, the former WWE World Champion had his breakout moment in 2014 as part of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The following year, he would go one-on-one with Daniel Craig’s James Bond as the villainous Mr. Hinx in Spectre. He once again shared the screen with Craig in 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and also starred in the 2023 psychological thriller Knock at the Cabin
Cody Rhodes has made it a tradition to do something unique at the end of every show he main events. However, even the American Nightmare wouldn’t have expected what a fan would request to him after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from SAP Center in San Jose, California.
The former IC Champion main evented the show in a match against Grayson Waller following their segment at Elimination Chamber.
Despite interference from Austin Theory who was at the ringside, Rhodes managed to win this bout. He first sent Theory crashing over the announce desk and then used the Cross Rhodes to pin the Australian superstar.
After this bout, Paul Heyman came out with three ‘NYPD Officers’ and tried to talk to Cody. The Royal Rumble winner, however, wasn’t having any of it and he stopped Heyman from entering the ring.
Cody Rhodes then declared that The Bloodline wasn’t hunting him anymore and it’d be him that would hunt the Bloodline now. The show ended with Cody taking out the police officers as Heyman called both The Rock and Roman Reigns.
What Happened After Raw
The former AEW star stayed in the ring for the fans after Raw went off air. During his promo a fan asked the wrestling star to do a gender reveal for his baby.
Even Rhodes was a little surprised at this request and mentioned how the internet was mad at him when the last time he did a gender reveal for his own baby. Cody then told the fans in the arena that they will also become the parents to the child after this before finally doing the gender reveal.
The Rock will be returning to WWE programming this Friday at SmackDown. We’ll have to see how The Great One responds to the challenge from Rhodes after tonight’s show.
Drew McIntyre held nothing back on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw when it came to mocking CM Punk in the latest escalation of the feud between the two.
Punk is currently out injured after suffering a torn triceps in the Men’s Royal Rumble match, an injury that McIntyre has been more than happy to take credit for. The Best in the World was originally planned to challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins at WrestleMania 40 but those plans have since been scrapped. In his place, McIntyre will challenge Rollins in April after winning last weekend’s Men’s Elimination Chamber Match.
Drew McIntyre on CM Punk
Appearing on this week’s Raw, McIntyre was in an unsurprisingly jovial mood in San Jose, CA. McIntyre’s latest barrage against Punk began before a word was said, with Drew sitting down in mimicry of the former WWE and AEW World Champion.
From there, McIntyre would mock Punk’s injury which has cost the latter his dream of headlining WrestleMania. McIntyre recalled a backstage conversation after being banged up in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match.
“The doctor looked at me and said ‘Drew, you’re hurt, there’s a chance you don’t make WrestleMania.’ I said ‘Who do you think I am, CM Punk? Nothing’s going to stop me from making WrestleMania!'”
With another dig at the Best in the World, McIntyre said he knows Punk is straight edge, so he decided to drink enough for the both of them to celebrate his win at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024.
Seth Rollins would then confront McIntyre and the pair would share words about their upcoming World Heavyweight Championship match. McIntyre seemed open to the concept of The Bloodline interfering in the match to help him in a shocking move considering that Bloodline interference cost him the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle.
Heyman advised that Cody Rhodes needs to take The Rock’s name out of his mouth.
Cody Rhodes Gets Message From Paul Heyman
After Cody Rhodes beat Grayson Waller in the main event of RAW this week, he had company. Paul Heyman made his way to the ring with security guards around him, who he claimed were off-duty police officers.
Heyman said that he knows how embarrassing it must have been for Cody to get “Will Smith’ed” by The Rock like he did during the WrestleMania kickoff conference in the T-Mobile Arena, but he said Cody “needs to take The Rock’s name out of your freaking mouth.“
After a back-and-forth, Cody delivered a message to The Rock through Heyman. He told The Rock to come get him, and that caused Heyman to get into the ring, but Cody wouldn’t let him.
Heyman’s security guards got in the ring instead, and they surrounded him. Then Cody made it clear that he will drop everyone in the ring if anyone takes a step closer to him. Paul said that doesn’t count if he’s the one person stepping toward him, and Rhodes said that was wrong before he took out all the security guards.
Cody made it clear that he is hunting The Bloodline, and it’s not the other way around.
"The Bloodline isn't hunting me… I'M HUNTING THE BLOODLINE!"
After Paul Heyman got out of the ring, he pulled out two cell phones. He told one phone to call The Rock, as the other he ordered to phone up Roman Reigns.
RAW ended this week after Cody Rhodes laid out another dish of punishment to Heyman’s security guards. The Rock will be on SmackDown this week, so we will have to see if he answers Rhodes’ challenge for a match.
The Road to WrestleMania
WrestleMania 40 will be a huge two-night event, so we will have many more matches confirmed for the show as we make our way to the extravaganza. Keep checking back with SEScoops for more information, and you can check out the updated card, including these two reported matches, below.
WrestleMania 40 Card:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Uso vs Jey Uso (reported)
LA Knight vs AJ Styles (reported)
Logan Paul vs Randy Orton for the United States Title (reported)
WWE and Kevin Patrick parted ways amicably earlier this year, according to the former interviewer and commentator.
Patrick was released from WWE last month, mere days after he was pulled from SmackDown’s commentary team. The belief backstage that his tenure on the blue brand just wasn’t working. He has since been replaced by Wade Barrett on commentary. Barrett’s role on Raw has been filled by Pat McAfee, who has reunited with Michael Cole.
Kevin Patrick’s Amicable Release
Patrick’s departure was something of a surprise to fans, but the Irish broadcaster isn’t too hurt about how things went down. Speaking to 700WLW, Patrick shared his positive feelings toward WWE despite his release.
“Absolutely loved my time with WWE. Nothing but love for everybody there. I’ll look back on my time there brilliantly, and I know I’ll go visit friends when WWE is in town, I’ll go say hi to everybody. I left very amicably with everybody there.”
What Happened Next?
Patrick has bounced back nicely from his WWE exit by securing a role with Apple TV as the host of MLS 360. Patrick previously hosted Major League Soccer events and in the interview, described the role as his “dream job.”
More on Kevin Patrick
Patrick studied journalism at Ireland’s Griffith College Dublin, and worked as part of the RTÉ Sport team covering the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. He left Ireland for the United States in 2009.
Kevin Patrick isn’t the only notable member of his family. His father Liam was an All-Ireland-winning Gaelic footballer. While Kevin played for Raheny GAA, an injury would cut his athletics career short.
Major League Wrestling fans will be in for a special treat this Thursday. The company will have their pay-per-view MLW Intimidation Games at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City, New York.
One of the featured matchups announced had Matt Riddle taking on Big Bad Tito. However, MLW has raised the stakes with Riddle putting his New Japan Pro Wrestling World Television Championship on the line.
A press release from MLW shared that ‘The King Of Bros’ will have his first title defense against Tito. MLW CEO Court Bauer also acknowledged that the new championship match was possible thanks to the business relationship between MLW and NJPW.
“The alliance between New Japan Pro Wrestling and MLW has resulted in this blockbuster title fight,” said Bauer. He continued, “I wish to thank Mr. Naoki Sugabayashi, Mr. Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Mr. Rocky Romero for brokering this title fight and allowing MLW and New York City the honor of hosting this world championship match. This cross-promotional championship clash signifies an era of exciting collaboration and competition in the world of professional wrestling.”
Riddle won the title by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo on February 23. The short-notice defense gives Tito an excellent opportunity to compete for his first NJPW championship in his MLW debut. However, the match style has also changed.
Preview Of Matt Riddle vs. Big Bad Tito At MLW Intimidation Games
Longtime NJPW fans may recall that NJPW World TV Championship matches have a time limit of 15 minutes. This rule adds a new dynamic to Riddle’s match against Tito.
MLW commented on the new match format and its uniqueness to the MLW Intimidation Games card.
“Adding a layer of intrigue to this highly anticipated bout is the unique stipulation attached to the NJPW World Television Championship,” said MLW. They continue, “With a time limit of 15 minutes imposed on all NJPW World Television title matches, both Riddle and Big Bad Tito will be under immense pressure to seize victory within the allotted time frame.”
Tickets for MLW Intimidation Games are still on sale for as low as 19.81 on Eventbrite. However, the new match stipulation could help lead to a sold-out show soon.
John Cena really let it loose with his latest OnlyFans post. Of course, the 16x World Champion doesn’t have a personal account, but it is in promotion for the upcoming Ricky Stanicky movie on Amazon Prime.
Cena recently posted a new video on his Ricky Stanicky OnlyFans. He promised double fisting, and that’s what he gave us. Although we can’t post the video here, Cena raised up both of his dukes like he was ready for a fight, which fulfilled the clickbait post’s promise to provide double fisting.
Cena on OnlyFans
John Cena shocked fans as he recently announced his entry onto the OnlyFans platform, using the alias Ricky Stanicky to promote his upcoming film. The account is free, and we can only imagine that there are a ton of subscribers on that account already.
After much anticipation, Cena has unveiled his first video on the platform, teasing content related to fisting.
New OF Video Drop More fisting than you may be ready for. R U BRAVE ENOUGH?
Randy Orton also commented on John Cena’s leap onto OnlyFans. He proposed that they do a collab. This idea was warmly welcomed by Cena as well.
What is Ricky Stanicky
The upcoming movie Ricky Stanicky features John Cena, Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Anja Savcic. The plot centers on an imaginary friend named Ricky Stanicky who becomes real. Cena portrays Ricky Stanicky in the film.
Three childhood friends invented Ricky Stanicky twenty years ago and continue to blame him for their immature actions. When their partners want to meet Ricky, the friends hire washed-up actor Rod to impersonate him. However, Rod’s portrayal becomes problematic, leading the friends to regret creating Ricky.
Ricky Stanicky will be available for streaming on April 7th on Amazon Prime. They are making a point to advertise the film as an R-Rated comedy, so odds are they will not pull any punches. Parents may want to keep their children away from this one.
A new on-screen personality has officially come aboard to All Elite Wrestling.
Over the weekend, Arkady Unterleidner, also known as Arkady Aura, gave a major update on her future in professional wrestling. After serving as a backstage interviewer, ring announcer, and manager on the independent wrestling circuit, Arkady confirmed (via Instagram) that she has now signed on to AEW. Arkady was previously affiliated with promotions such as SoCal Pro Wrestling and The Crash Lucha Libre, where she recently acted as the manager for AEW’s Brian Cage.
“Feeling beyond blessed to be apart of such an incredible company,” Arkady wrote on X (formerly Twitter) earlier today. “Thank you for all the love and support on this journey. This is only the beginning!”
Arkady’s arrival to AEW comes just days after the company welcomed in a new member to the creative department as well. Following her recent exit from WWE, three-time Emmy winner Jennifer Pepperman was announced as AEW’s new Vice President of Content Development. Pepperman previously worked as a senior writer for WWE.
More Details On Arkady’s AEW Arrival
Fightul Select has since provided more details on Arkady’s signing, reporting that she is expected to join the company as a backstage interviewer in an effort to further balance the responsibilities currently shared by Renee Paquette and Lexy Nair. The report added that AEW has considered other candidates for the role in recent months. More additions could also be coming to the broadcast team soon.
It is currently unknown when Arkady will officially start with AEW.
WWE 2K24 is available for pre-order now, and fans have a new reason to buy the season pass, because that is how they can get a hold of CM Punk. The Second City Savior has been absent from WWE video games for nearly a decade, but that will change this year.
The DLC content for WWE 2K24 will include CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Pat McAfee, Post Malone, the Dudley Boyz, DDP, Carlito, Mr. Perfect and Lex Luger.
Pre-Order WWE 2K24 Now (Amazon)
CM Punk Is In WWE 2K24
CM Punk already addressed his absence from the WWE 2k24, and he said that fans really want him in the game. He didn’t have to look into the matter for very long, because the Second City Savior was confirmed for the upcoming game.
WWE 2K24 announced during RAW this week that CM Punk, Pat McAfee, Jade Cargill, Post Malone, and more will be a part of the downloadable content for the new game. This will be a part of the season pass feature.
CM Punk appeared in a little video in one of 2K’s hype posts about this big announcement. He said that fans were heard, and he will be a part of the game after all.
The Showcase of the Immortals mode will also give fans an immersive look at WrestleMania history. The 2K Showcase of the Immortals experience allows players to relive 21 matches across five decades of WrestleMania history.
WWE 2K24 Release Details
WWE 2K24 will offer three editions: Deluxe, Forty Years of WrestleMania, and Standard. These editions will roll out globally on March 8, 2024. Keep an eye out for updates on the game’s soundtrack, roster, Superstar ratings, and other details.
Stay tuned to SE Scoops for ongoing coverage of WWE 2K24 and all the latest in the world of professional wrestling.
TNA Wrestling has started their year off to an interesting start. The company began 2024 by re-signing some top stars and a well-received pay-per-view event. Although the departure of former TNA President Scott D’Amore may have lowered some fan and talent morale, the company’s potential next signee could restore excitement to the brand.
Mike Johnson at PWInsiderreports that TNA is looking to sign Alex Hammerstone.
Hammerstone would be a big addition to TNA Wrestling
Hammerstone competed for the company this year at TNA Hard To Kill on January 13 against Josh Alexander. The two had a back-and-forth matchup, which saw the former Impact World Champion be victorious.
Hammerstone is currently a free agent, but the report shares that fans should expect him to head to TNA. It also added that the company is interested in getting a deal done but can’t confirm it’s finalized yet.
The free agent decided to leave Major League Wrestling on January 1. Since then, he has competed for various independent wrestling promotions, including Game Changer Wrestling and New Tradition Lucha Libre. Hammerstone is currently the NTLL Heavyweight Championship and is set to defend his title against Sam Adonis on March 16. It’s unclear if Hammerstone’s signing with TNA could affect the results of the match or future independent wrestling dates.
While the company is dealings with a vital office shake-up, they are seemingly still looking to impact the wrestling business in 2024.
Recent Business Moves By TNA
TNA locking down Hammerstone with a deal would be another great addition to the roster. The company has featured new free agents like Nic Nemeth, AJ Francis, and Ash By Elegance. They have also drawn attention recently with independent star Mustafa Ali defeating Chris Sabin at TNA No Surrender to win the X-Division Championship.
Although morale is not what it was at the start of the year, it is seemingly doing better after the meeting. The new signees and fresh matchups could build back the excitement of what the company envisioned for 2024.
WWE Superstars put themselves at risk whenever they are in the ring. It turns out that there are certainly unexpected dangers outside the ring as well. The Miz knows this all too well after this week’s episode of RAW.
The Miz uploaded a social media video to reveal that he was stuck in his locker room. It’s unknown what caused this issue, but the door was jammed shut and would not open. This was despite several people trying hard to break him free.
The A-Lister Was Stuck
The Miz didn’t seem worried about being stuck in his locker room. That being said, he was still in that situation, although he took the scene in with a smile.
The former WWE Champion traveled all the way to San Jose, California for RAW this week, but he never expected for this to happen. He simply shut his locker room door behind him, and the room decided he wasn’t leaving.
The Miz explained that he was only in the room for about ten minutes prior to recording his video. Still, it was a bit of a concerning scenario if he couldn’t make it out.
As he heard people try to break him out of that room, The Miz remarked that he may or may not be on RAW this week. That all depends on whether he can get out of that room. He had a television and water, so at least he could watch the show if they were unsuccessful in their escape mission.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is known. We’re sending out our best to The Miz, and we’re very glad that he didn’t suffer from a sudden case of claustrophobia.
Ric Flair, Dave Meltzer and more have reacted to the passing of pro wrestling legend Ole Anderson.
Ole Anderson, a significant figure in professional wrestling, has passed away at the age of 81. The news of Ole Anderson’s death was initially shared by Ricky Morton, who posted the announcement on Instagram. Our sympathies go out to his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time. As a member of the Four Horsemen, Ole will always be remembered for his impact on the sport.
The pro wrestling world is reacting after Ole Anderson’s passing broke. WWE sent out a tribute post for Ole during RAW this week.
WWE is saddened to learn that Ole Anderson has passed away.
AEW also sent out a tribute post for Ole Anderson on Twitter/X. Although he was never with the company, Ole still meant a ton to a lot of people within the company, and he helped shape pro wrestling history.
AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of the legendary Ole Anderson. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans. pic.twitter.com/xAJbZ8OeSs
Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter also tweeted out after Ole’s passing broke. He gave him credit for being such a great heel, and a fantastic talker on the microphone, as he drove heat for his programs for years.
Sorry to hear about the death of Ole Anderson. One of the major characters in pro wrestling of the 70s and 80s. Excellent talker and great heel.
Ric Flair also sent out a tribute for his Four Horseman brother. The Nature Boy thanked Ole Anderson for everything he did for his career, including bringing him to Crockett Promotions in the first place.
I Am Forever Thankful To Ole And Gene For Bringing Me In To Crockett Promotions As A Cousin. It Launched My Career. I Will Be Grateful Forever For You Giving Me The Opportunity To Become Who I Am Today. We Didn’t Always Agree With Each Other, But The Honest To God Truth Is You &… pic.twitter.com/bYinfeWhKp
Tommy Dreamer sent out a tribute as well, as he had some words to remember Ole’s legend. The Innovator of Violence said he watched Ole wrestle thousands of times as well.
I watched him wrestle thousands of times He was great at his job Heel or babyface RIP Ole Anderson pic.twitter.com/d4A4pzMmyd
One of the original members of the Four Horsemen, alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and JJ Dillon, Ole played a crucial role in shaping the industry. Throughout his career, spanning from 1967 to 1990, he held NWA titles in various promotions and territories.
This was a great loss for the pro wrestling world, and Ole Anderson’s legend certainly received a ton of respect today. You can check out a few more tributes in the space below. RIP Ole.
Ole Anderson was one of the most influential figures in the entire industry at the peak of his power – booking both Georgia and the Carolinas concurrently, which was insane when you understand what that entailed
He was one of the best promos ever. A hell of a worker; one half of the team that invented tag team wrestling. A booker/promoter who crafted some of the most memorable angles ever. An ornery SOB who rubbed many the wrong way, but always stood by his convictions. #RIPOleAndersonpic.twitter.com/OIOnAFQqEc
Ole Anderson, a pivotal figure in professional wrestling, has died at the age of 81. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans during this sad time. The Four Horsemen member will be forever remembered for his contributions to the business.
As one of the founding members of the Four Horsemen, alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and JJ Dillon, Ole left an indelible mark on the industry. Throughout his career, which spanned from 1967 to 1990, he held NWA titles in various promotions and territories.
In 2003, he authored “Inside Out: How Corporate America Destroyed Professional Wrestling,” shedding light on the inner workings of the industry. Ole was also never one to hold back on his opinions, and he also held positions outside the ring.
Beyond his achievements in the ring, Ole served as a booker for Georgia Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions, contributing significantly to the development of wrestling storylines and talent.
The news of Ole Anderson’s passing was first shared by Ricky Morton. He sent out an Instagram post to let everyone know this sad news.
Ole Anderson, who was born Alan Robert Rogowski on September 22, 1942, was best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling. Anderson started his wrestling career in the early 1960s and quickly rose to prominence as a tag team specialist.
Alongside his brother Gene, he formed the tag team “The Minnesota Wrecking Crew,” which achieved considerable success in various territories. Anderson was known for his tough and no-nonsense in-ring style, often portraying a villainous persona. Throughout his career, he held numerous tag team championships and competed against some of the top stars in the industry.
Arn Anderson was initially introduced as the brother of Gene, Lars, and Ole, though at times, he was also presented as a cousin or nephew. Later that year, Arn formed a tag team with Ole, following the release of his previous partner Osborne from GCW. The duo of Ole and Arn continued to team up until Ole’s retirement in 1987.
After retiring from in-ring competition, Anderson remained involved in the wrestling business as a promoter and behind-the-scenes figure. He played a significant role in shaping the wrestling landscape during the territorial era and beyond. Anderson’s contributions to the industry have left a lasting legacy, influencing future generations of wrestlers and promoters.
With Roman Reigns firmly shielded by The Bloodline, which now also includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Cody Rhodes seems to have found a shield of his own in the form of WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.
Recognizing that Rhodes would once again be outnumbered in his pursuit of Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, and in his recent challenge to The Rock, Rollins has graciously offered to act as back-up for Rhodes in both scenarios.
As Rollins continues to boast support for Rhodes, fans have begun speculating that WWE may be building toward a potential WrestleMania tag team match that would pit Rollins and Rhodes against The Rock and Roman Reigns.
“I don’t know how the cards are going to fall. I don’t know which way the chips are going to go. I’m open to doing whatever is going to be the best right, whatever’s going to be the biggest thing we can possibly do.”
Building the legacy of the World Heavyweight Championship
As of this writing, Seth Rollins is 275 days into his reign as WWE World Heavyweight champion. As the first man to hold this ‘new’ championship in its current lineage, it’s important for him to set the tone of what the belt stands for.
“I really want to give this championship the showcase that it deserves, and if that means pulling double duty, if that means putting it on the line against The Rock or Roman or whoever, I don’t care. I don’t care what it is. I want to give this thing what it deserves. I want to give it prop it up as much as possible.”
However, Rollins has another priority. He wants to make the biggest moments possible at WrestleMania. That could be in a World Heavyweight title defense, or it could involve Cody Rhodes, The Rock and Roman Reigns. 5 weeks out from WrestleMania, even he’s unsure how things will play out.
“There’s tons of different ways it could go and I’m stoked to see what the ride’s going to look like.”
Though unconfirmed by WWE at this point, a recent report has suggested that a tag team match between Rock/Reigns and Rollins/Rhodes has been discussed as a possible headliner for night one of WrestleMania 40.
Conor McGregor is a showman who made millions in the UFC while using a WWE formula to hype himself and bring controversy. With UFC and WWE under the same TKO umbrella, this makes Notorious’ inclusion in an upcoming WWE angle even more likely.
Becky Lynch was recently asked about the chances of Notorious coming into WWE. She is a fellow Irish entertainer, and she won’t say “no” to a possible appearance by McGregor, since anything is possible in WWE.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, The Man was asked about the chances of Conor McGregor showing up on WWE television. After all, TKO arranged for Michael Chandler to appear on RAW to call out his longtime rival.
The 2024 Elimination Chamber match winner watched Chandler’s promo on Raw and could see Conor McGregor following suit.
“I believe he’s influenced by the WWE. I think it’s very likely, I think it’s very likely,” Lynch said of Conor McGregor appearing in WWE, via Submission Radio.
Before Lynch could finish her thought on McGregor’s possible WWE involvement, Kevin Owens interrupted and diverted the conversation, taking over the interview.
We will have to see if Conor ever finds his way to WWE. Countless Superstars have spoken about this hypothetical scenario. Jey Uso recently named Conor McGregor as the celeb he wants to see enter the WWE Universe.
The road to WrestleMania 40 is sure to include more surprises ahead. With WWE’s affiliation with UFC and the never-ending need to generate as much publicity as possible for the next big show, stay tuned for our continued coverage of this interesting situation.
Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes endured a scary sequence of events on the January 12 episode of WWE SmackDown.
The moment in question occurred when Theory looked to hit Hayes with an Avalanche Spanish Fly from the top rope. Unfortunately, both competitors seemed to awkwardly land on their heads, which prompted the referee to signal for an immediate match stop.
While there was initial concern about possible concussions, both Hayes and Theory turned out to be okay, later facing off in a rematch two weeks later.
Injury Scare
In a recent interview with The West Australian, Theory provided more details on his injury scare, revealing that it was Hayes’ foot accidentally hitting the top rope that caused their awkward descent. Luckily, both men were ultimately able to walk away with minimal damage.
“In this scenario with Carmelo Hayes, [I was] going for a move I’ve done plenty of times. Just so happens as we’re going through the rotation, if you go back and look, the back of his foot as he’s rotating off, hits the top rope. So all the momentum of us rotating, when his foot hits, it takes us straight down,” Theory said.
“Just based off of the video, it looks insane. And to be honest, after that, I seriously could have been paralyzed or my career could have been done. I could have been seriously hurt, broke my neck. There’s so many factors, but luckily as we came down, for some reason, I let go to catch myself and I turned my head all the way to the left.”
“When we landed, the back of his head hit my face pretty hard, but when we were laying there, I was fine. I didn’t feel like rocked or lost or that feeling of ‘Oh, what’s going on you?’ I felt fine, but at the same time, that’s such a a scary moment, especially when you’re out there and something goes wrong and doesn’t feel right. Then seeing the video footage back of myself upside down literally on the top of my head — Wow. Very grateful for that.”
Coming off of this close call, Theory added that the Avalanche Spanish Fly is now officially retired from his moveset. While Theory was fortunate to avoid a concussion, he did note that his face was “pretty sore” from the impact of Hayes’ head colliding with his face.
WWE 2K24 is not going to include CM Punk from the look of it. Of course, CM Punk appeared in AEW: Fight Forever, even after his firing. This is a very interesting issue, and Punk is going to look into things.
CM Punk certainly noticed that his name is not included in 2K’s plan to roll out this new game. His name is absent from the roster, and DLC plans have not featured him, either. The Second City Savior is never short on words, and an investigation is apparently underway.
WWE 2K24 is preparing for its upcoming release, introducing several new features to fans. Notable enhancements include the incorporation of real WWE referees and highly lifelike character models. However, to the surprise of many, CM Punk’s absence from the game, including any future DLC plans, has prompted him to launch an inquiry.
Acknowledging his absence from the game, CM Punk took to social media to address the situation. He admitted to being aware of his late return to WWE, which consequently led to his exclusion from the game’s initial roster.
CM Punk brought up that 2K had revealed the full roster for the upcoming WWE video game. He expressed his disappointment at not being included, recognizing that his return to WWE occurred after the game’s development. Despite this, he had hoped to see himself featured in the recently released DLC teaser. In response to fan demand for his inclusion, CM Punk stated that he would be conducting an investigation into the matter.
Punk also realizes that fans will go crazy because he’s not in the game, but that is the situation we’re in right now.
”And I know this because the fans are going crazy, they’re asking where I’m at and asking how come I’m not in the video game. So, I decided to make it my thing to try to get to the bottom of this, because the fans are demanding that I be put in this video game. Now I’m not a video game guy, so I don’t know how fast they can do this, but like I said, we’re gonna try to get to the bottom of this, and I’m gonna tag them here just to put some pressure on. Let’s put some feet to fire today, ladies and gentlemen.”
CM Punk didn’t return to WWE until Survivor Series 2024, and that was a massive surprise. 2K had no time to get his character design all ready, let alone the entrance on Punk’s level deserves in the game.
Hopefully, 2k will announce Punk as a DLC addition later on. Right now, it appears that fans will have to keep waiting, or they will have to make a CAW of Punk for one more year.
WWE 2K24 Release Details
WWE 2K24 will offer three editions: Deluxe, Forty Years of WrestleMania, and Standard. These editions will roll out globally on March 8, 2024. Keep an eye out for updates on the game’s soundtrack, roster, Superstar ratings, and other details.
Stay tuned to SE Scoops for ongoing coverage of WWE 2K24 and all the latest in the world of professional wrestling.
Update: CM Punk will be Included
It was announced during WWE RAW that CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Pat McAfee, and more will be included as DLC in the season pass of this year’s game.
In September 2023, the merger between WWE and UFC was officially finalized, meaning that both entities now exist under the same umbrella — TKO Group Holdings. Given this development, fans of both organizations have raised questions about a potential crossover. Last Monday, fans got a taste of just that.
On last week’s episode of WWE RAW in Anaheim, California, ring announcer Samathan Irvin introduced UFC fighter Michael Chandler, who promptly received a microphone in his hand to speak.
The appearance was brief, but Chandler cut a spirited promo in which he demanded that fellow UFC fighter Conor McGregor get his “candy a** back to the Octagon” so they could settle their unfinished business.
McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in July 2021, where he sustained a broken leg in his bout against Dustin Poirier.
Seth Rollins’ Critique
Seth Rollins, a 20-year veteran in the wrestling and promo game, provided his assessment of Chandler’s promo during a recent interview with Submission Radio.
Though Chandler’s speaking segment had its imperfections, Rollins praises him for injecting vibrancy and authenticity into it.
“You could tell he had the adrenaline coursing through his veins a little bit,” Rollins said. “He could have slowed down a bit, have a little fun. He needs some work, but pretty good. I think for a first ride, it was real, it was from the heart.
He’s cool man, he’s a big fan of what we do. Ge understands the entertainment aspect of kind of the fight gam. So I dug it, man, and I hope he gets what he wants.”
Nick Kiniski, the son of wrestling World Champion Gene Kiniski, has claimed he was propositioned by Terry Garvin during his days competing for the WWF.
The younger Kiniski competed for the World Wrestling Federation from 1986 to 1987. Outside of the promotion, he also wrestled for WCCW and the AWA. His sole championship accomplishment came in Texas All-Star Wrestling where he held the Tag Team Titles with Paul Diamond.
Nick Kiniski Speaks
During an episode of Pollock and Thurston, Kiniski claimed he was forced to deal with unwanted advances from Terry Garvin, who was a WWF employee at the time.
He would come up to me and hit on me … I won’t say what he said, but you’ll understand the meaning behind it. He says ‘Hey Nick, let me perform oral sex on you, you can read a Playboy and you’ll have it made for life.’ And, you know, he is my boss, he controls my boss. This is my livelihood, what I want to do,
“I kind of joked with him, I said ‘Hey Terry, you know, I’m not that way. But if I ever change, you’ll be the first. I’ll let you be the first.’ We just kinda laughed it off. But he was always kind of coming up and joking, and one time he came to my hotel room late at night and I told him to leave. Knocked at the door. So, it put me in a very awkward position, you know?
Kiniski stated that he informed Vince McMahon of the situation while the WWF was hosting events in Oregon.
“I said ‘Hey, Vince, I don’t think this is right. Terry’s hitting on me. I don’t appreciate that and I would like it to stop.’ And Vince said ‘Oh, ok. I’ll deal with it.’ And that was it.”
Kiniski stated that nothing changed and that Garvin would continue to pester him about his “proposition.” Shortly after, Kiniski would be pulled from matches, meaning he wasn’t earning. Believing this was in response to not giving into Garvin, Kiniski challenged McMahon on the matter.
“I said ‘This isn’t right, Vince. I complain, and now you guys are punishing me. I’ll finish my bookings, but I’m not putting any guys over. Put me in the ring we’ll see what happens… I’m done.’ I said, ‘I’ll finish my matches,’ ‘Nope, you’re done now.’ ‘Thank you very much.’”
Allegations Against Terry Garvin
Nick Kiniski is not the first man to allege that Garvin was inappropriate. Barry Orton, the brother of Bob Orton Jr. and uncle to Randy Orton, accused Garvin of sexually assaulting him in 1978. Orton would later say he was blackballed by the industry for speaking out about it.
Gargin resigned from the WWF in 1992 alongside ring announcer Mel Phillips and Pat Patterson in the wake of the Ring Boy Scandal. The scandal revolved around the alleged sexual harassment of an underage ring boy, who was fired after refusing Garvin’s advances. Garvin died of stomach cancer on August 18, 1998, at the age of 61.
WWE Superstars give their all in the ring, and injuries can pop up at any moment. Now, Piper Niven has suffered a big blow to her momentum. She is out of action with an injury, and this is never good on the road to WrestleMania.
Piper Niven is currently out of action with a hand injury. There is a current fear that it is broken, and that explains her absence from WWE television.
Piper Niven’s Injury
According to a new report from Fightful Select, Piper Niven has been out of action with a hand injury, and the thought is that it is broken.
Although she last competed alongside Chelsea Green on WWE Main Event in St. Louis, where they faced Natalya & Tegan Nox in a losing effort, Niven was notably absent from the Elimination Chamber Qualifying Last Chance Battle Royal. This absence has sparked speculation among fans.
Although she has been active on social media, it appears that this would explain the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion’s absence. We’re Wishing Piper a speedy recovery.
Piper Niven’s Road in WWE
In 2017, WWE reached out to her for the Mae Young Classic tournament. She was granted permission by World of Sport Wrestling to compete and used the ring name Piper Niven. During the tournament, she defeated Santana Garrett and Serena Deeb before being eliminated by Toni Storm in the quarterfinals.
Niven made her debut in NXT UK in 2019, confronting Rhea Ripley. Her first televised match occurred on WWE Worlds Collide, where she defeated Zelina Vega. She later competed in a battle royal for a title opportunity but was eliminated by Xia Brookside. Niven contended for the NXT UK Women’s Championship but was unsuccessful in her attempts against Kay Lee Ray.
In June 2021, Niven transitioned to Raw as Doudrop, aligned with Eva Marie. She later turned against Marie at SummerSlam, beginning a feud between them. Despite a series of matches and appearances, including competing in the Queen’s Crown tournament, Doudrop’s tenure on Raw was marked by various challenges and opportunities.
In 2022, Doudrop challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship but was unsuccessful. She also participated in the Elimination Chamber match for a title opportunity at WrestleMania 38. Following this, she pursued the WWE 24/7 Championship and formed a tag team with Nikki A.S.H. However, due to illness, Doudrop took a hiatus from competition.
Returning as Piper Niven in 2023, she competed in the Royal Rumble match and later partnered with Chelsea Green to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Their reign saw successful defenses against various challengers until they were dethroned by Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. Now, Piper is ready to start her next chapter in WWE, but she will have to wait out this injury situation first.
What’s Next
Since Piper Niven’s injury, Chelsea Green has been active in singles competition, participating in the battle royal and securing a win on WWE Main Event against Tegan Nox. We extend our wishes for Piper Niven’s swift recovery.
SEScoops will have more on this story as more updates are made available.
WWE legend Randy Orton is furious with a video clip that is going around on social media.
Randy Orton’s has a unique move-set and it includes RKO which is synonymous with his name. The lightning-fast cutter which he executes out of nowhere, catches his opponents off guard and has won him several championships in his decorated career. He’s hit the move in some of the most unexpected ways on several occasions, scripting iconic moments in WWE.
Orton Responds to the RKO Attacker
A few years back, Orton hitting the RKO became a popular meme on the internet and the fans started dropping hilarious edited clips of him hitting his finisher.
Now, a video has surfaced on Twitter/X which caught the attention of Randy Orton himself and it features a fan hitting RKO on random strangers. In one of the ridiculous developments, the man even executed the move on disabled people.
‘The Viper’ was furious when he took note of the clip and stated that the man needs to be hit with Orton’s popular Punt Kick to the head and should be put in prison for assault.
“Bring the punt kick back and give him a good ol case of CTE ya later plus 5 years in prison for assault.”
Bring the punt kick back and give him a good ol case of CTE ya later plus 5 years in prison for assault. https://t.co/sklLtKhYRU
The Punt Kick reference is related to the devastating finishing move the Viper used during the late 2000’s when he was a ruthless heel establishing himself as the legend we know him as today.
Orton He targeted the head of a grounded opponent and delivered a devastating kick similar to a punt in American football. However, the move was banned due to its high risk of giving the superstars a concussion.
Orton recently competed in the Elimination Chamber match at the namesake premium live event that took place last weekend in Perth, Australia. The match was won by Drew McIntyre who will be challenging Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 40.
While his path may have led him to professional wrestling, Grayson Waller has drawn heavy inspiration from athletes in other combat sports, such as boxing and mixed martial arts.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Waller opened up about some of the figures who’ve influenced him, one of which is former UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor.
“I think the best and most marketable UFC fighters are wrestling fans,” Waller said. “If you look back in history, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, and Chael Sonnen, they were wrestling fans. They used parts of wrestling for their character and that’s why they make so much money. You have a lot of people trying to do that now, but it’s not easy what we do. A guy like Colby Covington is trying his best, but I don’t think he actually knows what we do, and he’s trying his best.”
Last year, Waller laid out his vision for WWE to pair him with McGregor for a WrestleMania tag team match. Given that WWE is now merged with the UFC under TKO Group Holdings, and WWE is now on course to WrestleMania, it seems even more possible that Waller’s vision may become a reality.
Boxing Greats
Within the realm of boxing, Waller is particularly moved by the likes of Muhammad Ali and Prince Naseem, both of whom have been indicted into the WrestleMania event. referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event.International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“I took huge inspiration even from like Muhammad Ali [and] Prince Naseem from boxing,” Waller continued. “Just that confidence and swagger of like ‘I don’t care who you are lad. I’m going to walk in and show you who I am.’ So I’ve always taken a lot of inspiration from those guys, especially the way they carry themselves, but also, they weren’t afraid to say what they thought.”
Wrestling fans, of course, may also recall Ali being a special guest for WrestleMania 1’s main event match that pitted Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper.
Some movies hit too close to home. Others hit close enough.
I had friends whose father’s were in Vietnam. They weren’t interested in spending two hours watching Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Tropic Thunder or Good Morning, Vietnam.
My dad was a firefighter. If Ron Howard’s Backdraft wanted a seal of approval, the pyrotechnic scenes were enough to make my dad turn it off. He’s never seen it and doesn’t want to. He had been in the room with his oxygen running out and the fire races up the corner of the wall enough times – he didn’t need to see Kurt Russell deal with it.
Probably the best example I know involved the Atlanta Olympic bomber.
A journalist friend of mine was in Olympic Park the night Richard Jewell saved hundreds when a terrorist bomb went off. He reviewed music for a sister paper of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was the only reporter who was in the park. He couldn’t leave and no one could get in.
He walked the area, seen the mangled bodies of people he knew who had made the trip to the Olympics. He handed notes to other reporters by crime scene tape, some written on napkins or whatever he could find. I think he told me he had blood on him at some point, but he wasn’t sure who’s it was.
When Clint Eastwood’s movie Richard Jewell was released in 2019. Jewell was played by Paul Walter Hauser. My reporter friend nearly yelled at me when I asked if he would see the movie. It wasn’t something he wanted to live again or feel again, whether fictional, on film or otherwise.
I’ve never had a movie hit too close to home like my dad, my friend’s father or my fellow reporter. But I’ve had several hit close enough, and that’s how I felt about The Iron Claw.
I’m old enough to remember the Von Erichs on ESPN and the amazing World Class product at that time. I remember seeing them on the covers of magazines at the grocery store. I remember Kerry Von Erich in the WWF and wondered why an idiot would call him the Texas Tornado.
In the late 80s, I dealt with suicide before I was even a teenager. In elementary school a classmate told me he was going to kill himself. I was young and I still don’t understand everything that happened, but I alerted a teacher, and then came a principal. Later, I assumed he took something. I don’t know. I never saw him again but was told everything was fine.
In middle school a friend of mine was found dead in the closet of a juvenile detention home. We were in seventh grade.
I heard news snippets through those years about Mike and Chris Von Erich, and then Kerry. Some things are too bad to imagine. War is one, family tragedy on this scale was another. Other families had similar tragedies, and the Von Erichs weren’t alone even in wrestling with the Grahams, or even in Dallas at the time of Kerry’s death.
I talked to Kevin Von Erich once in the early 2000s for a short time. He was a guest on Chairshots Radio with my friend Rod Siciliano. I had called him to ask a few questions about World Class. To call him patient is an understatement. To call him nice doesn’t do him justice.
I’ve dealt with enough death inside and outside the wrestling business to want to watch it as entertainment.
When I heard The Iron Claw was in pre-production I was more dismayed than surprise. When I saw Zac Efron attached, I was shocked. I couldn’t understand why an A-list actor would want to tell this story, or what could come of it.
With A24 as the studio, I became confused. Sometimes you’re close enough you can’t see what others see in a story.
Sean Durkin Does the Impossible
Last weekend I finally watched the movie. Almost daring myself to, despite not wanting any part of it since I heard the project started. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was seeing how close the film came to nailing a David Von Erich promo with Kerry and Kevin standing by him.
To put how one particular scene moved me is too hard without sharing how much film I’ve watched and how much I’ve written about it. It needs perspective.
I’ve watched thousands of movies in my life, and written movie reviews for too many websites and blogs to count.
I’ve written essays and obituaries for RogerEbert.com. An essay I wrote about movie, The Right Stuff, after John Glenn’s death, earned me a comment from Chuck Yeager’s official Twitter account. (A family member, typing instead for him, said they had read my essay to Chuck, whose opinion of my work was, “Other than being full of shit, wasn’t half bad,” which I still consider as one of my proudest moments as a writer.)
Out of all those films I can hardly remember a scene as cathartic, as emotional, as sentimental and one as close to the heart as one I saw in The Iron Claw.
Inhale enough pop culture, social media, music, film it will numb you to the ups and downs normal riders take in a movie theater or sitting on your couch or recliner
There’s also this other problem called life. Life turns into a mix of wanting to sleep, apathy, weariness and wishing for just five seconds you could feel what you did at Christmas when you were 10, or at a family gathering with all your cousins, or what it was like the first time you took your son or daughter or home from the hospital. To have a parent or grandparent back for a second, or a long-forgotten day with childhood friends.
The Iron Claw gave me that moment and after some research I wasn’t the only one. It pulls the humanity that’s covered with callouses out and reminds you why you watch movies or why dumb kids in Ohio watch wrestling families in Texas.
I wondered what kind of madman would want to write and direct a Von Erich and what Sean Durkin could possibly tell that hasn’t been re-told tearfully for over 30 years.
The direction and design is flawless. It’s 1985 back to life. The main cast is magical, especially Lily James, Maureen Tierney and Holt McCallany, whose performance is career-making.
The best moments are between Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson as the brothers, whose performance is almost as a foursome than a four contrasting actors.
The approach is what makes the movie work. The world and parents fail them, as do the notions of who they should be, but the brothers haven’t failed each other in Durkin’s telling.
Efron is the most featured, and carries a weight on his back and in his look that’s both drastic and painful to watch. Efron’s Kevin crying and telling his own sons he “used to be a brother” is a blow that rocks as hard as the other moment delivers in comfort.
Chris Von Erich isn’t mentioned, but blended with Mike. It’s an unfortunate part of making a film like this. But Efron, Durkin and company do right by the family and have earned a long-time fan in doing so. Efron with his graceful, soulful and heavy performance. Durkin in the way I least expected.
Durkin does what the best directors and writers have always done, from Quentin Tarantino to John Ford. But he is a rare exception that has them beat in one major respect.
He doesn’t make his movie the way it should have been, but in how we hope it was and in that way, he did the impossible. He gave a graceful fictional ending to an enduring American family tragedy.
